A Better Life
by Macahol84
Summary: AU: Jenny and Gibbs investigate a death marine dependent.
1. Chapter 1

"Officer Traynor, she's back again," the uniform announced from his post in front of the officer's desk. "This time she brought you a present."

Officer Traynor sighed as he pushed away from his desk and walked to the lobby of the precinct. There was only one woman who would repeatedly return to the precinct and seek his help. His suspicions were confirmed when he rounded the corner and saw Wanda Skibinski sitting on one of the benches that lined the wall. It had been an on going battle for years that started when he had first found Wanda sitting on a curb in the middle of the night sporting a few fresh bruises. She claimed she had fallen. After investigating around town, Officer Traynor learned Wanda was married to a marine with a horrible temper but with no witnesses around, Officer Traynor was forced to take her word.

"Wanda," Officer Traynor called out feeling a bit of remorse when he saw the woman wince at her own name. He walked over and sat down next to her. "Is he back on leave?" Wanda just nodded slowly.

Officer Traynor let out a sigh. She wasn't talking. That meant either she was scared or the bastard broke her jaw again. "The uniform said you had something for me?" Wanda nodded again. "May I see what you have?"

Wanda turned to plastic basket she had placed on the bench opposite of Officer Traynor. Removing the top towel from the pile she revealed a small bundle.

"Jesus Wanda," Officer Traynor swore as he saw the baby boy. "Is he your's?" Wanda nodded. Officer Traynor lowered his voice to a whisper. "And Earl's?" Wanda nodded again. "What do you want me to do?"

"Save him," Wanda whispered hoarsely. "Give him a better life. He deserves more."

"So do you," Officer Traynor stated. "We can get you and him out of here. Give you both a better life. That restraining order you filed again Earl isn't working."

"He'd find us," Wanda shook her head. "Or at least me. I don't think he knows about the baby."

Officer Traynor got up and walked over to the basket. "How old is he?"

"A week?" Wanda shrugged. "I gave birth to him at home and have been breast feeding him since he was born. I don't want Earl to find out. He said he never wants kids and I don't know how much longer I can keep hiding him. He deserves better."

Officer Traynor looked down at the little boy again and weighed his options. "You should leave. I'll write up the report that someone anonymously dropped off a baby boy. We'll say he is six days old so he falls within our safe haven guidelines. I'll oversee his every move from now until he is adopted into a new family."

Wanda had tears in her eyes as she whispered, "Thank you Matt," before standing and leaving the police station.

Almost a year had gone by since Officer Traynor had seen Wanda. He assumed no news was good news. Maybe she had finally move away and never had to worry about her husband again. No sooner than he finished that thought did his desk phone start ringing.

"Traynor," he gave his abrupt greeting. The voice on the other end of the phone send chills down his spine. "I'll be right there." He hung up the phone and grabbed his keys. "Cover for me," he called out to his partner before running from the precinct. Fifteen minutes later he was pulling up in front of the hospital and rushing inside.

"Officer Matthew Traynor for Dr. Edwards," he hurried stated when he reached the nurses station.

"Over here Mr. Traynor," and older gentleman announced from the set of double doors leading further into the hospital.

"How is she? What happened?"

"She's stable for now. She was very badly bruised possibly from a beating. Unfortunately she won't speak with any one of our staff. We called you because you are listed as her emergency contact. We were hoping maybe seeing you would get her to talk," Dr. Edwards explained.

"May I see her now?"

"Yes, right this way," Dr. Edwards led Officer Traynor through a series of hallways to the intensive care unit. It was there he saw Wanda bruised but struggling to stay alert. Tears filled her her eyes when they landed on his.

"Wanda what happened?" Officer Traynor whispered as he gently grasped her hand.

"He got out early for leave," Wanda struggled to keep her emotions in check. "He wasn't supposed to know. He wasn't supposed to know."

"What wasn't he supposed to know?" Officer Traynor asked. Wanda continued to repeat he wasn't supposed to know to herself as her monitors began to beep frantically.

"What wasn't he supposed to know?" Officer Traynor urged. He could sense she was slipping away. Dr. Edwards and a handful of nurses poured into the room taking their places by Wanda's bedside and shout commands to each other. The crash cart was wheeled in but in a few short minutes, the monitors went stoic. Dr. Edwards turn to the officer. "I'm sorry but she's gone."

Officer Traynor closed his eyes and let out a deep breath as the door opened and a nurse in bright colored scrubs walked in. "Look who's finally awake and ready for some bonding time with Mommy."

Officer Traynor looked from Wanda's lifeless form to the baby the nurse had just wheeled in to Dr. Edwards. Jumping to his feet he pointed at the baby as he advanced on the doctor. "That baby is Wanda's?" He demanded.

Dr. Edwards nodded as he took a step backwards. "Yes when Mrs. Skibinski had arrived tonight she was pregnant but due to deliver in a few days. We induced her so the baby wouldn't be affected by the drugs we were going to administer to the mother-"

"Son of a bitch!" Officer Traynor yelled. "If I ever see that man so help me- where's the phone?"

"Um on the bedside table," Dr. Edwards pointed behind Officer Traynor to where the nurses were removing the IV drip from Wanda's arm.

"Stop touching her. She's now evidence." Officer Traynor picked up the phone and dialed the operator. "Connect me to NCIS."


	2. Chapter 2

"Probie!" Leroy Jethro Gibbs looked up from the paperwork covering his desk. "Gear up!"

"On it boss," Gibbs replied as he dropped his pen and grabbed his backpack following Mike Franks out of the bullpen and towards the elevators. As he passed by the other Major Case Response Team bullpen, he noticed a woman with vibrant red hair. She was new. That whole team was new. If only she would turn around so he could see her face.

"Probie!" Mike yelled again. Gibbs spun around to see Mike holding the elevator door open. "Take the stairs." With that Mike removed his hand and let the doors slide shut. Gibbs let out a groan as he walked towards the stairs and he could almost swear he heard the new girl laughing at him.

Down two flights of stairs, Gibbs caught up with Mike in the parking lot. "Where are we heading boss?"

"Bethesda," Mike grunted as he started the engine and sped away from the Navy Yard. A half hour later, the pair was walking into the hospital flashing their badges.

"Mike Franks, NCIS. That's Gibbs," Mike nodded in the other man's direction. "Someone called for us."

The nurse at the station looked at their credentials before nodding. "Yes sir, right this way." She lead the pair down a series of hallways before stopping in front of a doorway. "Officer Traynor, the NCIS agents are here."

A middle aged man walked out into the hallway and greeted Mike and Gibbs. "Thank you for coming so quickly."

Mike nodded in an attempt to continue the conversation. "You said on the phone a marine dependent died here this morning."

"Yes Wanda Skibinski. She is- was married to Lance Corporal Earl Skibinski," Officer Traynor reported.

"Is there any reason you called us?" Gibbs questioned.

Officer Traynor let out a sigh. "I've known Wanda for years. She was always coming in with bruises claiming she had hurt herself, but I knew that wasn't the truth. I tried to get her to file charges but she wouldn't and unfortunately without an eye witness, our hands were tied. Last year Wanda confided in me that her husband didn't want any children. I suppose the idea of having to share her with someone else was too much for him. Now I hadn't seen her in months but this morning I got a call from Dr. Edwards here at the hospital stating that Wanda had listed me as her emergency contact and was in intensive care.

"When I arrive she was muttering 'he wasn't supposed to know'. Within minutes she went into cardiac arrest. The staff attempted to resuscitate her but she was already gone. They then informed me that when Wanda had arrived she had been pregnant. They performed an emergency c-section to remove the baby and than began treating Wanda for her injuries."

"Where's the kid now?" Mike asked looking around the hallway.

"She's in the nursery. I felt it safer to leave her with the nursing staff. I also listed her as Baby Traynor."

"You feel the Lance Corporal was the cause of this?" Gibbs questioned.

"Absolutely," Officer Traynor nodded. "The abuse was only ever present when her husband was home on leave. I called around town and found out he's been frequenting the local watering hole since he arrived. With a couple of drinks in him, Earl wouldn't have thought twice about hitting his wife." Officer Traynor looked between Gibbs and Mike before he continued. "Look things are crazy at the precinct. I'd be more than happy to turn over jurisdiction and custody of the minor to NCIS."

"The minor?" Mike stared at the man.

"Wanda's baby. She is part of an on-going investigation and can not be released into the Safe Haven program. Someone will need to retain custody of her," Officer Traynor explained. "Once the case is closed, Social Services Administration will then take custody and through Child Protective Services, place the her with an appropriate caregiver."

"Oh is that all?" Mike scoffed as he considered his options. "All right, give the baby to my Probie. He'll retain the custody."

Gibbs' head snapped up at the mention of the baby. Officer Traynor nodded his approval. "I'll go get her. Just promise you won't let Earl harm her."

"We promise," Mike confirmed before the officer walked away.

Gibbs watched Officer Traynor disappear down the hallway then turned to Mike. "Boss you can't be serious? Me with a baby? I don't know anything about kids."

"There's always time to learn Probie," Mike clapped him on the back before walking into the room Wanda had occupied to process what was left of the room. Gibbs stood in the hallway wondering how he was going to manage taking care of an infant.

* * *

A/N: Shannon and Kelly don't exist in this story


	3. Chapter 3

"Please be quiet baby," Gibbs whispered as he rocked the crying baby in her infant carrier. Gibbs looked around the darkened floor. Most of the other agents had gone home for the evening. Gibbs looked over his shoulder at the catwalk. Franks was up with the Director and Gibbs was silently hoping that child services would show up and retrieve the baby. It had been a few hours since they had left the hospital and while the baby had slept for that duration, she was awake now and demanding attention. Gibbs let out a sigh. He really shouldn't be complaining. A few hours of uninterrupted case work was better than nothing. Now he just had to figure out how to soothe the infant so he could finish up for the evening. "Just a little while longer I promise," Gibbs bargained with the baby while he looked at the catwalk again.

"Bargaining with an infant will get you nowhere, Special Agent." Gibbs jumped at the sound of a woman's voice. He assumed he was alone on the floor. With amazement he watched as the woman with the vibrant red hair stood up from the other side of the divider and turned to look at him. Gibbs nodded slowly as he took in the new agent's features. Her wide emerald eyes held a hint of laughter that her full lips were trying to stifle. She walked around the divider and stood in front of his desk. "She's probably hungry."

"You're probably right," Gibbs mumbled.

"I know I'm right," She laughed. "I'm Special Agent Jenny Shepard."

"Leroy Jethro Gibbs." Jenny smiled at learning his name.

"Probie! Make that baby be quiet," Franks snapped as he breezed back into the bull pen and looked at the paper work on his desk.

"I've tried boss, but I think she's hungry," Gibbs offered stealing a glance at Jenny.

"So feed her!" Mike slammed his desk draw shut as he pulled out his gun and badge. "Hell I'm going for coffee."

"Boss, isn't child services coming to get her?" Gibbs called out at his boss's retreating form. Mike spun and advanced on his probie.

"What part of retaining custody did you not understand Probie? You are that kid's guardian until I say otherwise," Mike bit out before storming off. Gibbs was shocked. He had assumed that Mike said that in the hospital to move the case along. He didn't realize his boss was serious.

"So what are you going to feed her?" Jenny's question broke the silence.

"I'm not really sure. What do babies eat?" Gibbs shrugged as Jenny let out a giggle.

"It depends on how old they are. I'm going to assume she's still young?"

"She was born earlier today."

"Earlier today?" Jenny shrieked. "Why would you- How did you-" Jenny took a deep breath. "I can't think right now with her crying." Jenny bent down to the infant carrier and picked the baby up. After a few minutes the crying subsided.

Gibbs' head snapped up at the sound of silence. "How did you do that?"

"I was patient with her," Jenny chuckled. "You haven't spent much time around infants have you?" Gibbs put down his pen and shook his head. Jenny looked down at the baby as she leaned against his desk. "You can't show fear or stress. Babies can sense that and then they latch onto it." Jenny looked back over to her section of the MCRT floor. "If you want I could come with you as you pick up the supplies you'll need to take care of her. My team isn't due to arrive for a few more days. I was just setting up."

Gibbs nodded as he stood up and gathered his gun and badge from his top drawer. "That would be great."

Jenny watched him slip his gun onto his hip and clip his badge into place. He was taller than she expected but what really amazed her were his blue eyes. She could tell there were many things he kept hidden but his eyes seemed to speak to her.

"Jen?"

Maybe they weren't the only thing speaking to her. "I'm sorry, what?"

Gibbs smiled as he clicked off his lamp and grabbed the infant carrier. "I was asking if you were the new team leader."

Jenny shook her head and they began walking towards the elevator. "I'm the new agent. I just started with NCIS."

"So you're the Probie," Gibbs held the door while Jenny stepped in.

"Probie?" Jenny adjusted the baby in her arms as she looked at Gibbs. He just shrugged.

"Yeah it what everyone calls their probationary agent. Probie." The elevator doors slid open as the explanation sank in. "But I like Jen better," Gibbs said with a wink as he brushed past her towards the main door. He had to install the infant carrier in his vehicle if they ever wanted to leave headquarters. He had taken the plastic base from Mike when they arrived from the hospital but he really didn't have a clue how to get the base and carrier attached to the backseat.

"If you hold her, I can get that ready for her," Jenny's voice rang out. He could practically hear the smile in voice. Mumbling something unintelligible, Gibbs left the base and infant carrier in the backseat while he carefully took the baby from Jenny.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" He asked as he slowly adjusted his hold of the infant.

"I'm done," Jenny smirked holding her arms out for the baby. "Give her to me and I'll even strap her in." Gibbs looked on in amazement at the infant carrier that was now securely attached to the base and snugly positioned in his backseat.

"How did you do that so quickly?" He almost whispered handing over the baby.

"It's not rocket science," Jenny smiled as she closed the door. "Do you still want help getting supplies?"

Gibbs stared at her. "Do you expect me to be able to do that on my own?"

"Absolutely not," Jenny laughed opening the passenger door.

Gibbs smiled as he started the engine but paused. "Where do we go for supplies?"


End file.
